Spring Break Quake
by KCharisma
Summary: ;D


"COME AND GET MY LOVE TAKE ME IN….THIS IS AN WEATHER WARNING FOR PEOPLE IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA….AN EARTHQUAKE HAS BEEN PREDICTED….PLEASE TAKE CAUTION," my best friend Elise and I looked at each other, this sure was going to ruin our road trip idea! I drove as fast as I could back home, only slowing down to let Elise off at her house. My families (step mom, dad, and triplet sisters) were all outside waiting for my arrival home. Then the panic set in, and the helplessness of not being able to leave and not knowing when the earthquake was to hit. I had never been in an earthquake before so I didn't know what to expect, but I knew it when it happened. Suddenly it felt like I was being torn from the ground. I covered one of the triplets, Carrie, while my step-mom and dad covered the other two, Hayley and Julie. The shuttering of the earth lasted not longer than a couple seconds, but the damage was life threatening. Hayley's scream pierced the air as I saw, blinking through the dusty air, a large branch fall on her. The trembling stopped and we all ran over, Hayley's leg looked almost two dimensional.

My entire family was covered in cuts and gashes, but our main concern was Hayley's life, she had already lost a lot of blood and had gone unconscious. There was no use rushing to the hospital because not a single building was standing. Instantaneously I remembered that our neighbor used to be a doctor, being the only one in my family to even no our neighbor's name, I rushed over. Dr. Collins advised us to take his car, because it had not been demolished, to the nearest hospital that was still standing, despite the distance. Hayley managed to wake up just for me to say goodbye to her as my step mom, Dad, Carrie and Julie, sped out of town. Being a physically strong girl, I played lacrosse of course, I decided to help start rebuilding the city. There was one thing I had to do first though, see if Elise was alright.

I arrived at her house only to see Elise's entire family crying. Elise's twin brother, Connor, approached me. I had never seen the hockey player cry, not since I met him in kindergarten, so I knew 

something had gone terribly wrong. I followed Connor's eyes over to where his family was standing and saw Elise lying on the ground. I didn't need to hear it to know that my best friend, my only real friend, was dead.

"Alexis, there was something Elise wrote before, before…" Connor stuttered, and handed me a crumpled sheet of loose leaf. How could my eyes be dry for ELISE! Did I have no heart to cry? No, I was just so hurt. I looked down at my wrist and saw my henna tattoo, "EA" written in cursive was my reminder that I would never laugh again with Elise, not with anyone. It was then that the tears started pouring, and they wouldn't stop. My eyes blurred as I tried to read what was on the piece of loose leaf;

_Alexis,_

_This letter is for if I do not survive this earthquake. We have been best friends since kindergarten when you stole the yellow crayon from me. There is one thing you must do for me before anything else. Find my diary under my mattress and read it. Don't judge me, but love me as you do now._

_Always,_

_Elise_

Why would I ever judge my best friend! Connor ran after me while I searched through the debris for the diary. I had seen it before so it wasn't a foreign object; I had never read it before though. I found Elise's bed, still made, took the book and drove to the beach. I had to be alone reading it.

My tears stopped flowing as I opened the book to Elise's life:

_September 9__th__ 2007_

_Mom finally took me to the doctors. The throbbing pain in my arms doesn't go away._

_LATER_

_The doctors took A LOT of blood, they think I might have a disease. I want to take to Alexis about it, but I don't want to worry her. She doesn't even know that I get this pain. She is the one that must NEVER know._

_September 12__th__ 2007_

_I can't go to school today; we are going to the doctor's for the test results. I told Alexis that I had the stomach bug._

_LATER_

_CANCER. What does that word even mean? I was in my own world while Dr. Collins explained it to my mother. Aren't I too young to have Cancer? Am I going to die? I cannot tell this to Alexis. The pain was unbearable today, nothing was helping my arms. The doctor said the pain would soon be spreading to my legs, when it spread to my head, then I might go in to a coma. The pain has some Latin name, but I do not know it._

_October 12__th__ 2007_

_It's been exactly a month since I found out I had Cancer. I have been under intense care for the past two weeks; my mom told Alexis and the school that I had MONO, not the real reason. The pain has spread to my legs. I know it won't be long before it spreads to my head._

_December 25__th__ 2007_

_All I wanted was a peaceful Christmas, and I got it. I have been going to school and acting normal. Alexis has noticed something wrong with me, but she just thinks that I'm stressed or over tired. I have fun with Alexis, not knowing how much longer it will last. I study, but at night is when the pain is the worst. I put on a mask, not letting people REALLY know how I'm feeling._

_January 13__th_

_Alexis and I planned a road trip for Spring Break. I realized that it's time she knew about my having cancer because the pain has spread to my head. I plan to tell her on our road trip. I will have MONO again next week because Dr. Collins wants to try a new treatment on me; he said if it doesn't work then he's retiring._

_January 30__th_

_Dr. Collins is retiring._

_March 17__th_

_It's Saint Patrick's Day and it hurts to even get out of bed. I've had trouble concentrating on school work, but my only solace is Alexis' bubbly attitude about our upcoming road trip. I find it worthless to study anymore because I know that I will not be conscious long enough to finish the year._

_April 7__th_

_We leave for the road trip tomorrow. I feel as if I cannot last more than two more weeks. The pain has enveloped my whole body. I cannot feel my arms and I have trouble walking. I told Alexis I've just been stiff, but she'll soon know the real reason. I cry myself to sleep each night. I just want the pain to end. I need it to end._

I turned the last crinkled page of the worn out diary and looked in to the sunrise, letting my knees sink in to the cool sand. For the first time, in the midst of all this chaos, I was happy. My best friend, was rid of her pain.


End file.
